Digital Only Subscription
Read the digital SMART Edition of The Times-Tribune on your PC or mobile device, and have 24/7 access to breaking news, local sports, contests, and more at thetimes-tribune.com or on our mobile apps.

Digital Services
Have news alerts sent to your mobile device, read the Smart Edition sign up for daily newsletters, activate your all access, enter contests, take quizzes, download our mobile apps and see the latest e-circulars.

On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Joseph P. McDonald manned the switchboard at Fort Shafter in Hawaii when he received the alarming message that radar had detected a large number of planes approaching from the north, heading fast for Oahu.
(read more)

Motorists who use the Pango mobile app to pay at parking meters in Scranton will get reimbursed for any inadvertent overcharges since Sept. 1, the new operator of the city’s parking system said.
(read more)

A Saturday night crash on the Casey Highway killed a 30-year-old good Samaritan who stopped to help a motorist change a tire, state police at Dunmore said.

Police identified the victim as Richard J. Cummings of Scranton.

The crash near Exit 5 in Mayfield occurred after Michael Natali, 20, of Waymart, pulled over when the Honda Civic he was driving got a flat tire.

Mr. Cummings stopped to help, pulling his 2006 Hyundai Elantra ahead of the Civic. He got out of the car, and Mr. Natali and a 17-year-old Waymart resident police did not identify joined him.

At that point, about 11:24 p.m., police said Mary Elizabeth Timko of Simpson struck the Civic with a 2012 Ford Escape, then hit Mr. Cummings. Ms. Timko, age unavailable, also struck Mr. Natali and the 17-year-old, then hit the Elantra and flipped the SUV, police said.

Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland said an autopsy on Mr. Cummings was scheduled for today.

Scranton resident Nathan Goble, 22, said he was in the city with his girlfriend when his brother Brandon called him at 11:26 p.m. Mr. Goble said his brother, who had been in the car with Mr. Natali, told him he had been in a crash but was not injured. Mr. Goble said he was nervous and got to the scene as soon as he could.

"It looked like a war zone," he said.

He immediately approached police to locate his brother.

When he saw that someone had died, "I thought 'God bless his family,' but my chief concern was finding Brandon," Mr. Goble said.

Police were able to quickly reunite Mr. Goble with his brother, who was "pretty spooked" and worried about his friend, Mr. Natali.

Conditions of Mr. Natali, Ms. Timko and the 17-year-old could not be obtained Sunday night. The police report said Mr. Natali and the 17-year-old had "unknown injury severity," and Ms. Timko had "unknown injury."

Police said the crash remains under investigation. Anyone with further information is asked to call 570-963-3156.

Contact the writer: kwind@timesshamrock.com, @kwindTT on Twitter

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.